


Tenderly, Tastefully

by The Miss Paramount (Hanamuraki)



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Age Difference, Eating Disorders, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Gaslighting, High School, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Canon Compliant, Physical Abuse, Shujin Academy (Persona 5), Shujin Yusuke, Underage Prostitution, dark-ish Maruki
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:00:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29495433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hanamuraki/pseuds/The%20Miss%20Paramount
Summary: Yusuke refuses to find hope. What good is it for?
Relationships: Kitagawa Yusuke/Maruki Takuto, Maruki Takuto/Kitagawa Yusuke
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GreyPigeon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreyPigeon/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For GreyPigeon whose unconditional support has helped me write again and actually enjoy it. 
> 
> Please don't mistake this story as something that should happen in real life. 
> 
> Let me know if I should tag for anything else!

Everything felt like a complete failure.

And Yusuke hated those days that could only be defined as grey.

Madarame constantly remarked how lucky he was that this new school accepted him after losing his Fine Arts scholarship at Kosei High. Yusuke would need to make up for all the money he had cost him. A useless brat like him, sent to a private school like Shujin Academy.

Yusuke knew it was in his best interest to remain silent about the circumstances that led to that outcome: after all, it was not his sensei’s fault that he fainted constantly and that he missed many important deadlines after being unable to balance his school work, painting and tending to Madarame’s patrons. 

This was the only possible outcome.

Shujin Academy wasn’t good or bad. It existed in a perpetual state of grayness, but Yusuke didn’t know if it was because of the people who refused to look at him or because of the constant buzz in his head. He was very used to the sentiment of rejection: it followed him most of his life. 

This time, he didn’t know if it was because of the second-hand uniform that looked weird on his body or because of the rumors that were spread about him. He wondered if it had to do with the fact that he did his best to avoid participating in PE this time. Or was it the fact that someone caught him traveling to Shinjuku after school?

Without giving it any further thought, he popped another piece of chewing gum into his mouth and reached for a bottle of water. He noticed that a group of students were murmuring something while staring at him.

“Have you seen him? All he ever does is chew gum and drink water?”

“No wonder he’s so scrawny!”

“And have you seen his uniform? Why do they let this kind of people into our school?”

Yusuke sighed and looked away. He was used to those comments back at Kosei but things were not as bad. Most people chose to ignore him without saying anything. 

“Now, I don’t know who you’re talking about but that’s not something to make remarks about.”

“Dr. Maruki!” One of the girls cried and the rest giggled in response. “I’m so sorry.”

Yusuke barely registered the names of his teachers and had to look at a sheet with his schedule. He had never seen or heard about Maruki before, but he soon understood why the girls stared at him devotedly. He was tall and carelessly handsome: dark, fluffy, unkempt hair; kind and clever eyes behind a pair of thick glasses and a gentle expression. He smiled and unlike other people’s smile, his was genuine.

“Good morning, everyone! Mr. Hiruta agreed to let me use a few minutes of his class to introduce myself to you.” He bowed respectfully. “I just wanted to let you know I’m a counselor here and I’m here to help you and listen to you. You can find me at the nurse’s office! If you don’t want to talk, you can also drop by to get some snacks.”

“... Maybe Kitagawa could use that, huh?”

Yusuke sank into his seat.

“Like I said, if you ever feel you need to get something off your chest, come visit me! I’ll be happy to listen to you.” 

The man smiled again and left the room and Yusuke tried to get his face fixed into his memory. For the rest of the class, he drifted his pencil aimlessly across a piece of paper and without noticing, he had sketched his face. 

As if it was something sacred and luminous, he clutched the sketch against his chest.

***

After the day ended, Yusuke waited in the classroom until the rest of his classmates had left. 

The Shinjuku thing was not a rumor after all.

Madarame gave him a simple task and that was to meet potential clients and attend their parties. At first, Yusuke was horrified at his sensei’s requests and couldn’t understand why men would want something like him. The large majority of them were kind and were okay with Yusuke sucking them until they finished. Yusuke would stoically take them, no matter how tough they were.

Moan when you feel something. Smile at them. Look at them tenderly when they finish with you.

Madarame often repeated this to him and to other pupils who were requested by his clients. Yusuke soon mastered his carefully crafted act, pleasing countless men who had no names. Bracing himself for the slaps, for the thrusts without warning or the sloppy kisses. He didn’t blame them: after all, he was still able to create art thanks to the materials they provided after those encounters. 

They have never been particularly cruel to him, but they had started to look at him in a different way. Some of them made remarks about how pale he was while others simply mentioned he was too thin for their taste and then left without delivering the promised payment, meaning that Yusuke would need to make up for it with sensei somehow. 

He went home at night. Sore and tired. 

Riding the train back home was his least favorite part of the day. Yusuke felt vulnerable and raw as if all those strangers could see through him and he felt more exposed than he did inside the private rooms of Shinjuku bars. While he was completely sure he washed himself thoroughly, the smell of those rooms…. The smell of those bodies wouldn’t leave his skin.

His fingers dug into his bag and found the sketch he drew.

Maruki.

Yusuke smiled quietly. He shut his eyes trying to remember the kind face that somehow managed to illuminate Shujin completely. The kind brown eyes. The calm smile. A soft voice that filled the corners of his hollow body.

The feeling of terror gathered inside his throat, making the air around him heavy. He recognized that terror quite clearly: it was hope.

Like those things ever happened.

He grabbed the sketch and crumpled it in his fist. He couldn’t bring himself to throw it away, but he couldn’t afford to feel hope either.

Painting hope, as Madarame once said, was useless. 

There was still hope when he waited for his mother to come back for his fourth birthday.

Useless.

There was hope when he first painted something good. It didn’t last long.

Useless.

There was still hope when he first saw money after tending to one of Madarame’s patrons.

Useless.

There was hope in the sunlight that illuminated Maruki’s face - but by then, he knew better. It was useless.

He couldn’t bring himself to throw the sketch away. He pushed it inside his bag, where he had a dark satchel with condoms and his used lingerie. He had second thoughts.

Something that he considered sacred and luminous wasn’t meant to be there.

***

The morning after came and with it another day in which Yusuke wouldn’t have breakfast, or lunch… or any meal for that matter. 

He wasn’t even hungry anymore, but his head felt heavy. The classroom was at a decent temperature, but he felt cold. He looked at his hands and noticed that his fingers were red and felt numb. It was hard for him to focus. 

The air around him felt heavy. He popped another piece of chewing gum in his mouth, hoping it will help him fight the wave of nausea that suddenly took over his body.

It didn’t help a lot. The room was spinning around him and his classmates had blurry faces. He cursed himself silently as he tried to focus on the paper on his desk; the room was still moving and his head hurt badly.

He silently raised his hand.

“May I please be excused?” Yusuke managed to say. His head was buzzing loudly.

After receiving a confirmation from Mr. Hiruta, he stumbled to the door, his road trampled by the many bags of his classmates. The corridor was cool and he wasn’t sure if he could make it to the bathroom to at least wash his face. Maybe some fresh air could help him. Or some food. He wasn’t sure he could stomach anything after so many days of chewing gum and drinking water, though.

...He wasn’t sure he could go to Shinjuku after school.

He tried to take the stairs, hoping to reach the courtyard. His eyes were closing and he felt the floor underneath him moving more than he could handle. 

When he was sure his head would hit the ground, he heard a loud sound of papers scattering and felt something stopping his fall.

He couldn’t see clearly anymore, but he heard his name and felt someone gently lifting him from the floor. He saw the outline of a pair of thick glasses.

And then he passed out.

***

Yusuke wasn’t sure how much time had passed. His vision was still blurry, but he was no longer cold. There was a blanket covering him and the room was pleasantly warm.

“Kitagawa-kun?” The voice was gentle and sounded concerned. Yusuke felt a hand touching his forehead. Long and strong fingers. “Can you hear me? You’re in the nurse’s office.”

“Huh?”

“Oh, thank God… you’re awake… You got me scared for a moment.”

Maruki’s face was in front of his, the concerned look in his face made Yusuke’s heart flutter a little bit. _“He has a beautiful face,”_ Yusuke thought and smiled. He shut his eyes again.

“How are you feeling? Do you need anything?”

“Uh…” Yusuke tried to sit up but his head began hurting again. He felt Maruki’s hands pressing him gently against the bed.

“Take it easy. You can rest some more if you want.” His voice was soft, just as Yusuke remembered it. Maruki rearranged the blanket that was covering him. “Do you want me to call your parents?”

“... Please don’t!” Yusuke tried to sit up again but felt immediately dizzy. “That’s not necessary, I think I should get going.”

Maruki shook his head.

“You don’t need to go anywhere if you don’t want to.” He said simply. “Do you think you can manage some tea and crackers?”

Yusuke nodded, and Maruki noticed how tense he was.

“Relax. It’s just tea.” Maruki said as Yusuke tried to analyze his surroundings. Maruki was alone and the curtains around his bed were drawn, so he couldn’t see anything beyond it. “One of your classmates was here like half an hour before you woke up. I take it she just wanted to know what happened to you. You don’t have many friends here, do you?”

Yusuke sighed audibly.

“Not really. I just transferred here.”

“Well, I just started here, too.” Maruki said, as he returned with a cup of tea and crackers. “I would offer you something else, but considering your state I don’t think you’d handle it well.”

“… What do you mean?” Yusuke raised an eyebrow.

“Well, you can’t really live on chewing gum and water, can you?” Maruki asked. People at Kosei made similar remarks in the past, but these always came with an air of scorn whereas Maruki sounded concerned. Like he really cared.

“I’m grateful for your attention, but this is none of your concern.” He said coldly, knowing Maruki wouldn’t spare a second thought for him after this.

“Kitagawa-kun, I’m not saying this because I want to scold you or tell you to stop it.” He looked around and then at Yusuke again. “I’m sorry.”

“Can I sleep a bit more? I don’t feel so great.” Yusuke asked as he put the cup of tea on a bedside table.

“Sure! Do you need another blanket?”

“I’m fine.”

Maruki smiled and admitted defeat. He disappeared behind the curtain and left Yusuke alone with his thoughts. A few more students showed up for counseling and Maruki was as patient and kind with them as he was with him.

Maybe Maruki’s attention and concern were the norm for him and Yusuke wasn’t anything special.

It was useless, after all.

***

The bell rang and Yusuke was still at the nurse’s office. His thoughts were racing and Maruki had respected his wishes of being left alone. 

Probably for the best.

“Kitagawa-kun? May I come in?” Maruki’s voice called him and his heart skipped a beat.

“Sure… Yes, it’s your office after all.”

“Well, the day is over. Mr. Hiruta brought your bag. I wanted to know if you needed to tell me anything before you left.”

“...Tell you anything?”

“Sure.” Maruki wrote something on a card. “I know you may not want to do it right now but you can call me whenever you need to.”

“I don’t think there is anything we can talk about.” Yusuke said sincerely. “Once again, I thank you for your attention and care today.”

“Well, if you don’t want to talk, please take my jacket and umbrella. It’s raining.”

“Maruki-sensei, I thank you but it’s not necessary.”

“Well, Shinjuku is not exactly close, is it?”

Yusuke froze and looked at him, shocked.

He had no other option but to accept the card and Maruki’s jacket. It didn't feel warm, but it smelled of _him_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takuto follows Yusuke

Takuto waited patiently until Yusuke disappeared from his sight. He quickly packed his things, grabbed his wallet and left the school to chase after the boy.

A girl from Yusuke’s class who seemed to know every single detail about everyone at Shujin swore that she saw Yusuke travelling to Shinjuku after school. 

During their counseling session, Takuto listened to her complaints about the kind of people they allowed into Shujin Academy with the most empathetic face he could put up. After surveying some of the teachers, he found more details about the blue-haired boy: he had transferred from Kosei High and apparently was a promising artist under the tutelage of Ichiryusai Madarame. He had no emergency contacts listed in his school record. The details of his transfer were a complete mystery. 

Shujin Academy didn’t seem to be a place for him. 

Takuto kept a reasonable distance from Yusuke as he followed him. He didn’t want to explain anything to him just yet. 

The rain fell heavily outside of Shinjuku station. Takuto had been to Shinjuku’s red light district a couple of times during high school and college, but he never dared to enter the bars or the clubs there. He usually waited outside until his friends were done. Takuto never felt comfortable there, but Shibusawa and his friends favored Shinjuku for the cheap drinks. He often gave in to the pressure but never truly enjoyed it. Takuto remembered quite bitterly how his friends from the faculty set him up for a party with some girls when he announced he was going to propose to Rumi. 

It didn’t take him long to figure  _ why _ Yusuke was there.

Yusuke was no ordinary guy. He wasn’t into that for sure. He had to be there because someone was making him go. He wondered about this Madarame - Takuto didn’t know much about him. All he knew was that he was a famous and lauded painter, who specialized in Japanese painting, but somehow had mastered a myriad of styles. 

Takuto saw Yusuke enter one of the fancier clubs and after he disappeared behind a door, Takuto found an izakaya conveniently located across the place where Yusuke was. He ordered a drink and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

It was dark and the rain was heavier than ever. He had been looking in the same direction all the time, so he was sure he hadn’t missed Yusuke. He decided against ordering a second drink because he wasn’t sure what would be his next step. 

The door in front of the izakaya opened and Yusuke emerged from it, with a face of complete defeat, followed by a man dressed in an expensive suit. They walked away together, but Takuto could see how the man was grabbing Yusuke’s arm forcefully as he pulled him to a dark alley. 

He left some money on the counter and followed them.

“I’m not payin’ ya or your sensei for this, Kitagawa-kun,” the man said cruelly, pushing Yusuke against a wall. “Do ya think it’s fair for me to pay for this?”

“But… but… I did what you asked me. Everything you asked from me…” Yusuke gasped, wide-eyed.

“Look at yourself! Do you think your sensei’s clients deserve this? You were a novelty a couple of months ago, but now…”

“But now what?” Takuto asked coldly. Yusuke froze in his place. “He did what you asked. Pay him.”

“...Do ya know this idiot, Kitagawa-kun?”

“Of course he doesn’t. I’m just passing by,” Takuto said simply. “Pay him and leave him alone.”

“This ain’t none of your business.” The man replied. “Madarame will know about this.”

Takuto sighed loudly. He put himself between the man and Yusuke. “I think I made myself clear enough. Pay him and don’t touch him again.”

The man stumbled, he had a deranged look in his eyes. He stumbled forward before spitting on the floor.

“He’s nothing but a slut, sir. A very cheap one at that!” He blurted violently. “You can pay him a minimum and he’ll still do whatever you want.”

“Stop it, you piece of shit. How does that make you better than him?” Takuto looked at the man with disgust and Yusuke sobbed quietly behind him.

The man pushed Takuto forcefully and the first thing he felt when he hit the ground was a painful crack in his right ankle but he jumped back on his feet in time to shield Yusuke from the man’s fist. His vision was blurry when he opened his eyes again and there was a metallic taste in his mouth.

“Leave… him… alone…” Takuto gasped. Putting weight on his right foot was incredibly painful. “Give him the money. Now.”

“Why... the fuck would I do that?” The man spat

“Well… we can take it to the police station and say you were harassing a minor, and that you assaulted me.” Takuto snarled. “Which seems to be the case. Pay him and leave. This won’t reflect well on you if you’re who I think you are.” 

“How do ya....?”

“Doesn’t matter. The money, please? I won’t press charges if you pay him and leave.”

“...Fine…. You’ll pay for this, you stupid shit.” The man threw the money at Yusuke. “You’ll pay for this too, Kitagawa-kun. Madarame’ll know about this!”

They both saw the man scurry away. 

“That was close…” Takuto sighed. His nose was bleeding and he couldn’t find his glasses. “Are you okay?”

“Maruki-san… why… how?” Yusuke was panicking. “Oh my God… are you okay?”

“I am. Let’s get out of here.” Takuto took a step forward but his ankle gave way and he fell. “Oh…!”

“Maruki-san!” Yusuke cried, dropping by his side. “What’s wrong?”

“I guess we will need a cab. Can you help me?”

“Sure… Lean on me... “

“I’m sorry, Kitagawa-kun... I was supposed to come rescue you, not the other way round.” Takuto was shivering and his ankle was throbbing. He leaned heavily against Yusuke and noticed just how skinny the boy was. “We just need to find a cab. Are you okay?”

“Maruki-san… you’re shaking… Do you want your jacket?”

“Don’t worry about me. Let’s go.”

*******

Finding a cab in the middle of Shinjuku was a terribly difficult task and by the time they made it to a clinic, Maruki was delirious with pain. With the help of a nurse, he collapsed on a stretcher while he waited for a doctor to see him.

“Maruki-san… I’m so sorry…” Yusuke sobbed. “Everything's my fault. You shouldn’t have come after me.”

“Any decent person would have done it.” Maruki grimaced. He regretted telling the ER doctors he had a drink before this happened because the painkillers they had given him weren’t working that well. 

“Do you need anything? I can call the nurse.”

“Just stay here.” Maruki said as calmly as the pain allowed him to. “I don’t need  _ anyone  _ else.”

Yusuke sat besides Maruki, unable to process what he just said, he stared at him, wide-eyed. 

“Maruki-san…. How did you know where to find me?” Yusuke asked finally.

“Don’t worry about that. I will explain everything later, I promise.” He bit his lip as he tried to fight another wave of pain. “God, this hurts so much.”

Yusuke held his hand as a doctor approached them.

“Maruki Takuto?” She said. “I’m so sorry to keep you waiting. We get a lot of visits during rainy days. How are you holding up?”

“Not bad,” he tried to put on a brave face as he looked at Yusuke. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“That’s not true!” Yusuke interrupted. “Can you please help him?”

“I will take him away for some x-rays and he’ll be out in no time. You can wait in the cafeteria if you’d like. We’ll send someone once we’re done with it.”

Yusuke seemed to be terrified at the prospect of waiting on his own; Maruki noticed this and squeezed his hand, trying to reassure him.

“I’ll be back soon.” He winked. “I’m sure it’s not serious.”

As the nurse asked Yusuke to leave, he saw Maruki take off his shirt and the doctor give him a flimsy hospital gown. He heard him cry in pain when the doctor helped him remove his pants. The nurses helped him into a wheelchair and the doctor took him away from Yusuke. Maruki gave him a reassuring wink for the second time.

“I’ll be okay!”

Yusuke suddenly felt very empty.

  
  


*******

Yusuke sat alone at the clinic’s cafeteria. 

He never liked hospitals or clinics because everybody seemed to look at him as if he was some sort of freak. It was a regular occurrence for him. 

Hospitals made him uncomfortable. His routine check ups for STDs started at age 15 and the doctors gave him a judgmental look when they realized what he was there for. He resented Madarame, who didn’t even have the consideration of going in with him, although he later understood that his sensei couldn’t allow himself to be seen with Yusuke.

He hoped that these doctors were kinder to Maruki. He paced the cafeteria aimlessly and constantly asked the nurses about him.

Takuto.

Takuto.

His name rolled out from Yusuke’s tongue easily. Even when he was in pain, completely drenched and hurt, he was beautiful. He had lost his glasses when he shielded him from Madarame's client, his eyes were as beautiful and kind as ever.

Yusuke felt terrible. 

He had come to his rescue only to get hurt. He had tried to put on a brave face during the ride to the clinic, but Yusuke knew he was in pain. Every bump on the road made him moan and grunt but he smiled everytime Yusuke looked at him and whispered things like “it’s okay”.

A shiver traveled down Yusuke’s spine. He felt completely lost without Maruki there.

***

“Kitagawa-san?” A nurse called him after what seemed like an eternity. “Are you here with Maruki-san?”

“Yes… Yes, I am.” He said. Yusuke looked up at her and stood up quickly.

“I have a quick update about him. He broke his ankle and…”

“Is he going to be alright?!” Yusuke gasped. So it  _ was _ serious. Yusuke swallowed and felt terribly lightheaded. All of this was because of  _ him _ . “Is he really okay?”

“He is,” she said kindly. “Once the cast dries, he can go home. Are you a friend of his?”

Yusuke was caught off guard by the question. He hadn't stopped to think what his  _ relationship  _ to Maruki really was. 

“He’s my… friend?” He said. It was more of a question.

“Oh… well.” The nurse must have noticed Yusuke’s insecure tone. “In that case, can you hold on to his things? You should be able to see him in half an hour or so.”

The nurse handed him Maruki's phone and wallet, as well as his keys and his staff ID. 

After she left, Yusuke took a deep breath and opened Maruki’s wallet. The initial guilt of peeking into the man’s privacy was replaced with curiosity as he looked at his driver’s license. Maruki Takuto. His signature was elegant in most of his bank cards. His phone was a different story, Yusuke didn’t know what to expect and the prospect of finding something out terrified him. He expected to see a picture with his girlfriend or some message previews of his friends asking where he was but his phone was unlocked and there were no notifications to see. 

Without thinking, he grabbed his own phone and texted Madarame that he won’t be going home and then he shut his phone off.

Yusuke’s fingers immediately went back to the driver’s license and he took a moment to try to fix the picture of a younger Maruki in his head. He felt an uncomfortable ache between his legs.

“Kitagawa-kun?” The nurse called him again after a while. “Maruki-san is back. He’s signing his discharge papers. You can go see him now if you want.”

Yusuke nodded and followed the nurse. He felt weak and noticed that his hands were shaking. He wasn’t entirely sure why he felt so terrible, but he couldn’t leave Maruki alone.

“Maruki-san…!” Yusuke gasped when he saw him. His right leg was propped on some pillows and he seemed to be filling out some forms, squinting at them and holding them close to his face.

“I’m trying to fill out all of these forms but I can’t see a thing.” He smiled as a nurse interrupted them to remove the IV from Maruki’s arm. Yusuke let her through and sat on the edge of the bed, a little confused as to what to do with so many forms.

“Do you need any help, Maruki-san…?” 

“Takuto. You can call me Takuto.” He smiled. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting. I didn’t imagine this would take us so long.”

“Are you in any pain… Takuto?”

“Not anymore. I feel much better now that you’re here, Kitagawa-kun.” He smiled again and Yusuke felt alive again. He reached for the forms one more and signed them as consciously as his state allowed him. “We’re done here. We can go home.”

Yusuke looked down on his lap, he was playing with his sleeve trying to avoid Maruki’s eyes. He eventually dared to glance at him. “ _ Home. He said ‘home’”  _ Yusuke thought he’d have a heart attack.

“I live in Asagaya. If you want, we can go there, and I’ll get you a cab back to your place.”

“No, Maruki-san… Takuto.” Yusuke said. “I’d rather stay with you.”

“Huh?”

“In case you need anything.” Yusuke added sheepishly and immediately felt stupid.

“Oh.” Maruki’s face brightened and Yusuke’s pulse returned to his body with a gentle  _ thump _ . Maruki laughed, probably still under the influence of the painkillers, but it sounded luminous and felt like a warm balm reaching to every corner of Yusuke’s soul.

*******

Asagaya was quiet except for a few jazz clubs down the street where Maruki’s apartment building was. He lived on a third floor and climbing the stairs proved a difficult task. Between Maruki’s labored breath and the occasional moans that escaped his mouth when he banged his injured foot against the steps, Yusuke felt helpless. Maruki’s clothes were damp and he refused to wear his jacket, even though he was shaking.

“Well… This is my place. Make yourself at home.” Maruki treaded carefully as he knew that the sandal on his good foot and crutches made him incredibly unstable. He touched the wall trying to find the light switch.

“Thanks for having me.” For the first time in the day, Yusuke felt truly hungry. Maruki must have noticed, because he gave him one of those beautiful smiles again.

“There are towels in the bathroom… and there are clean clothes on the kitchen counter if you want to change.” He blushed and tried to change the topic. “Do you want something for dinner? There are good places that can maybe deliver something here.”

Yusuke nodded and watched how Maruki walked slowly towards the couch in the tiny living room. He grimaced in pain as he sat down.

“Do you need anything… Maru… Takuto?”

“I need to rest for a second. It hurts a little.” He shut his eyes tightly. “Don’t worry about me, really.”

Yusuke ran to the bathroom. Maruki’s apartment was dimly lit but it felt cozy in a way that Madarame’s shack wasn’t. There was a sweet aroma of apples and cinnamon that reminded Yusuke of desserts he had once or twice in his life.

“Kitagawa-kun,” Maruki called as Yusuke dried his hair. He didn’t want to let go of the jacket even when it felt heavy on his shoulders. It was  _ Maruki’s  _ and having it made him feel safer. “I will order some ramen, is that fine with you?”

“Sure.”

Yusuke walked back to the living room with a towel for Maruki. He looked exhausted and pale but he still smiled. Yusuke sat besides Maruki and he summoned all his willpower to stop himself from touching him. Maruki stared at him lovingly.

“Kitagawa-kun, I’m so sorry about today.”

“You saved me! And… you got hurt because of it. It’s my fault…”

“It is not your fault.” Maruki said firmly and Yusuke noticed how close his fingers were to his hand. “You didn’t ask me to do this. I just… I couldn’t let this happen to you.”

“I need to repay your kindness… Takuto.” Yusuke sounded sincere. “I must.”

Maruki shook his head. His fingers grazed Yusuke’s.

“I just hope I’m not mistaking this.” Maruki whispered. He leaned closer and Yusuke could feel his heart beating violently inside his chest. 

Maruki caressed his cheek. His fingers were long and beautifully shaped. His face was just a few inches away from Yusuke’s. His lips were an incredibly delightful thing and soon, he posed them on top of his. 

Yusuke hadn’t truly kissed anyone until then. Maruki was his first kiss and Yusuke let himself sink into the kiss, allowing Maruki to kiss him over and over, praying that wasn’t just him under the effect of the hospital’s painkillers. Yusuke only realized how honest the kiss was when he heard Maruki’s moans and saw his toes curl as he kissed him. The man sat up to get better access to Yusuke’s head to deepen the kiss, running his fingers through the blue locks.

“God… Yusuke…” Maruki breathed into his ear. “I’m sorry I didn’t look after you before.”

“You knew?”

“It was a hunch. I’ve heard rumors from students but the moment you reacted like that, I knew I had to go after you.”

Yusuke didn’t want an answer. He wanted to kiss Maruki again and never be separated from him. As he held Maruki’s face close to his, they were interrupted by the doorbell.

“Would you mind?” Maruki asked with a whisper. “I’m sorry, I’m pretty useless right now. Everything is paid for already.”

“... Sure,” Yusuke said with a sigh, cursing the delivery man silently. He returned to Maruki’s side with the food.

Maruki ate in silence and Yusuke noticed he was having a hard time with the chopsticks. After a while, he managed to eat just enough and he immediately noticed that Yusuke had barely touched his food.

“Yusuke…” He asked back to his normal, concerned tone. “Are you alright? You haven’t eaten anything.”

“Ahm…” Yusuke gasped, unsure of what to say but apparently Maruki could read him with no problem. He probably inferred there was something wrong with him already. At the beginning, his diet of coffee, chewing gum and water was a response to the days in which Madarame refused to feed him and the other pupils at home. Then it became a strange habit and sometimes, food terrified him. “I’m alright. This is good.”

“Yusuke,” Maruki said kindly, trying to sit as straight as he could without moving his injured ankle. 

The boy looked at him hopelessly.  _ “Please don’t ask me anything about it, please, I don’t know what to say. I beg you. You’ll kick me out if you find out.”  _ Yusuke thought.  _ “Don’t say my name like that because I won’t know how to leave.” _

“I’m fine.” He exhaled, hoping it would convince Maruki. “Today was a lot, that’s all. We can warm this up for breakfast, right?”

“You don’t have to lie to me.”

“I’m not lying to you.”

“Fine. You win,” Maruki said with a pout. “It’s late and I don’t feel great. Do you mind if we go to bed?”

The color returned to Yusuke’s face.

“But…”

“You’re not sleeping here. This couch is awful,” Maruki said with a shrug. “My bed is big enough and I don’t think you can do any more damage.”

Maruki stood up and slowly made his way to the bedroom. He didn’t pay any mind to Yusuke while he changed into an old Featherman shirt and put on a pair of loose pajama bottoms. He lay down and propped his leg on a pillow.

“Come here.”

“Huh? No… I can’t… I can sleep on the couch if you want. Really.”

“No. Come here,” Maruki ordered and Yusuke obediently scrambled onto the bed. He was wearing Maruki’s clothes and there was very little in that room that wasn’t Maruki’s.

“I… I don’t want to hurt you, Takuto.” Yusuke said. “Your leg, I mean.”

“I don’t care about my leg. Come here?” He asked. Maruki’s eyes were pleading.

Yusuke lied down next to him and Maruki pulled him close. His breathing was slow and Yusuke was calmed by the steadiness of his heartbeat. 

“Are you comfortable like this?” Maruki asked as he kissed the top of Yusuke’s head. “Ow, your feet are cold.”

“I’m sorry...!”

The rain was now a distant sound and Madarame couldn’t hurt either one of them.

For as long as Maruki held him, the room was the safest place in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Cera and Grey for all their magic beta'ing and all they do to help me become a better writer.


End file.
